PIZZA PIE

PEACE O’ PIE

Leave it to Allston to take a perfectly greasy to-go food and make it as healthy as a trip to the farmers market. Peace o’ Pie sources strictly vegan (and often organic) ingredients, like tofu ricotta, smoked tempeh and meatless chicken strips, and sprinkles ‘em on either whole-wheat, gluten-free (offered on Thursdays) or regular pie crusts.

The Peace o’ Pie gang installed a bamboo counterfront and a countertop made of recycled paper. They’ll even compost your leftovers (out of sight, of course). And with lunch specials like two slices of cheese for $5 or a free cupcake, cookie or drink with your two-topping calzone, Peace o’ Pie’s not as outrageous as most hoity-toity vegan places.

The MD pie (herb-roasted onions and zucchini with smoked apple sage sausage) and The Peppy (vegan pepperoni, mushrooms and onions) are two standouts, but sleep not on the calzone versions of their specialty pies, or the handmade breadsticks to truly capture that fifth-grade rollerskating party vibe. [487 Cambridge St., Allston. 617.787.9884. prices vary. [[http://peaceopie.com/|peaceopie.com]]]

EMMA’S PIZZA

Of the many mysteries of Kendall Square (like, where are all the people?), there is none more delicious to solve than that of the pizza-pie perfection at Emma’s. Their house-made dough and three varieties of sauce strike the golden mean of savory-spiciness. Build your own pie, or choose from one of their 25 suggestions, then wash it down with their house-brewed sangria; that Alexander McQueen documentary your girlfriend picked at Kendall Square Cinema will be way more tolerable. [40 Hampshire St., Kendall Sq., Cambridge. 617.864.8534. prices vary. [[http://www.emmaspizza.com/|emmaspizza.com]]]

PENGUIN PIZZA

Beer and pizza—a holy combination. At Penguin, everything is made in house. Minimalists can get the trifecta of pie-dom for just 8 bucks with Penguin’s margherita, a perfect balance of homemade tomato sauce, four-cheese blend and fresh, hand-rolled thin crust. But here’s the kicker: the Ultimate Penguin—bacon, ham, meatball, braised duck leg, sausage, roasted potato, hot cherry pepper, cabbage and onions … caramelized. Thirty beers on tap and some 290 beers total? They had us at "ultimate penguin." [735 Huntington Ave., Boston. 617.277.9200. prices vary. [[http://thepenguinpizza.com/|thepenguinpizza.com]]]